Seasonal variability of Chelidonium majus L. secondary metabolites content and antioxidant activity

The aim of this study is to investigate the total phenolic content, concentration of flavonoids and antioxidant activity in extracts of the plant Chelidonium majus L. during different phenological stages (stage of rosette, the initial flowering stage, the stage of fully formed flowers and stage of fruits formation). Five different extracts of the whole plant, for each phase, were obtained by extraction with water, methanol, acetone, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether. The concentration of total phenolic content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu´s reagent and obtained values were the highest in the rosette stage (60.96 mg GA/g). The concentration of flavonoids was the highest in the initial stage of flowering (291.58 mg RU/g). The antioxidant activity was determined in vitro using DPPH reagent. The highest antioxidant activity was expressed in the rosette stage (50.72 mg/ml). Based on the obtained results it can be concluded that the concentrations of secondary metabolites in Ch. majus depend on the phenological stage of the plant

Secondary metabolite content and in vitro biological effects of Ajuga chamaepitys (L.) Schreb. subsp. chamaepitys

The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and contents of total phenolics and flavonoids of Ajuga chamaepitys (L.) Schreb. subsp. chamaepitys (Lamiaceae) were investigated. Five different extracts from aboveground flowering plant parts were obtained by extraction with water, methanol, acetone, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether. The total phenolic content was determined spectrophotometrically using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and expressed as the gallic acid equivalent (mg GA/g of extract). The highest value was obtained in the ethyl acetate extract (57.02 mg GA/g). The concentration of flavonoids, determined using a spectrophotometric method with aluminum chloride and expressed as the rutin equivalent (mg RU/g of extract), was highest in the ethyl acetate extract (91.76 mg RU/g). The antioxidant activity was determined in vitro using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) reagent. The highest antioxidant activity was detected in the acetone extract (SC50 value = 330.52 μg/mL). In vitro antimicrobial activities were determined using a microdilution method, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum microbicidal concentration (MMC) were determined. The most effective antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus was demonstrated by the acetone extract, with MIC and MMC values of 1.25 mg/mL. Based on the results of this study, A. chamaepitys subsp. chamaepitys could be considered as a valuable source of natural compounds with important biological activities. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 41010 i OI 173032